Metal cabinet



June 29 1926.

E. FOOS'E METAL CABINET origin l' Filed May 15, 1923 2 Sheets-Shed 1 INVENTOR ATTORNE June 29 1926.

E. FOOSE METAL CABI NET Original Filed May 15, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3 Hum W01,

Patented June 29, 1926.

1 UNITED STATES EDWARD FOOSE, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF QOLUMBIA.

METAL CABINET.

Application filed May 15, 1923, Serial This invention relates to an improvement in metal cabinets.

The principal object of this invention is the provision of an improved construction and arrangement of lockers which will provide the necessary locker equipment for a given number of users through the utilization of a minimum of floor space, and reduce the cost of locker installation. I attain this object by a certain arrangement of parts in a locker whereby a high narrow space is provided for the hanging of garments and other articles requiring more room in height than in width, and a wider space but relatively low in height for the storage of hats and other articles that require a wider space than that provided for garments. In lockers as generally built there is about twice as' much space than is necessary for garments if this space is made as wide as the space provided for hats. By constructing lockers embodying my invention with a wide space at the top and at the bottom,'th'e intermediate spaces being of less width, manifestly, there is a considerable saving of space without reducing the usefulness of the locker.

A further object of my invention is the provision in a double deck locker of means that may be used as a step in the lower locker and as a hand-hold in the upper locker to enable the user to reach to the upper part of a double deck locker. Lockers of this type are generally, or preferably, built relatively low in height. This means will permit the construction of a higher locker. and adapt the double deck locker to children without their using benches or other means to reach to the top of the upper locker.

This invention consists of certain novel features of construction and combination of parts which will be described and set forth in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings Figure 1, is a front elevation of a double locker with the doors closed;

Figure 2 is a front elevation of a double locker with the doors open;

Figure 3 is a horizontal section on the line 33 of Figure a;

Figure 4 is a front elevation of a pair of double deck lockers; I

Figure 5 is a vertical section on the line 55 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a developed side elevation of No. 639,190. Renewed March 4, 1926.

partition member shown in Figure 11 is a front elevation of a cabinet structure with multiple compartments;

Figure 12 is a vertical section on line 1212 of Figure 11.

The principal feature of my invention is a novel partition member in a rectangular oblong compartment of a locker or cabinet body, dividing said compartment into two compartments, each of said compartments adapted for receiving'garments, hats and other articles. Both the locker or cabinet body and the partition member are built preferably of sheet metal.

In Figures 1, '2, 6 and 7 is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention applied to single tier lockers. The locker body having sides 1, back 2, top 3 and a bottom i, and may be of any usual or special construction with such reinforcing members as may be desired.

The partition member 5, dividing the locker or cabinet into compartments 6 and 7, comprises a shelf 8, a vertical partition 9, a horizontal partition 10, upper closure wall 11, lower closure wall 12, side flanges 13, back flanges 14 and 15, front flange 16, andbottom flange 17. This partition member 5 is preferably made of one piece of sheet metal, though not necessarily so, as various parts can be made separately and welded together, or made separately with additional flanges to those shown, and spot welded, riveted or bolted together.

If made of one piece the parts are all bent at a right angle to each other along dotted lines indicated in Figure 6, and in the various directions necessary to formthe fully shaped partition memberjf). of which afront elevation is shown in Figure 7. Shelf 8 is bent to the left. of vertical partition 9, up-

wise.

lustrated-in Figure 2.

for on the wall below the recess.

per closure wall 11 is bent upward from shelf '8, horizontal partition is bent to the right of vertical partition 9, and lower closure wall 12 is bent downward from horizontal partition 10. This shaped partition member 5 with the flanges properly bent is secured to body of locker by spot welding, or otherwise securing side'flanges 13 to sides 1, back flanges l'ih and 15 to back 2, front flange 1'6' to-bar-18, and bottom flange 17 to bottom a. The bar 18 should be preferably thesa'me thickness as frame pieces 19 and 20 to which "it is secured by welding or otherwise. Ends of closure walls 11- and '12 in contact with'back ofb'ar 1'8 and in contact with back of frame pieces 19 and 20 to which it is secured by welding or other- Ends of closure walls 11 and 12 in contact with back of bar 18 and in contact with back of frame pieces 19, 21 and 22 are secured to same by spot welding or other wise. The bar 18 forms a stile for doors 23 and 24 to strike against, and to which door 25 is hinged (Figure 10).

It is evident that when the partition *member 5 is thus installed there are not only two compartments 6 and 7, but each coi'npartment has a recessed part which I will designate as recess 26 of compartment 7 and recess 27 of compartment 6.

From the foregoing description and illustrations referred to it is manifest that recess 26 is accessible only from compartment 7 when door 24: is open and is really a part thereof; while reces's27 is accessible only from compartment 6 when door 23 is open, being likewise, substantially a part thereof.

In Figure 4 a preferred embodiment of a two tier, or double deck, locker is disclosed; In these lockers, have shown a modified form of the partition. member il- In a two tier locker it is manifestly necessaryto keep the height as low as is consistent with the use to which the locker is to be put. If an overcoat is the longest garment that will'likely be put in the locker, it need not be much higher than the length of the overcoat ifspace is provided on the side for a. hat and other articles. Space for a hat is provided in the recess described herebelow and space for coats and other short garments is provided With this arrangement two locker compartments can be provided for each tier: of adoub'le decker with a small'fraction of additional-space to that requiredffor'one as usually'built heretofore.

The partition member 28 partitioning off compartment .29 from compartment 30 comprisesan uppervertical partition 31, ashelf a middle-veiled p artitioirfi horizontal partition 34:, a low r vertical partition 35, upper closnrewallge, lower'closur'e wallET,

back flanges 38, 39 and 40, top flange l1, front flange and bottom flanges 43 and a l. This partition member 28 like partition m nber 5 described herebeforeis preferably lf made of one piece, the parts are all bent at a right angle to each other along dotted linesindicated in Figure 9 and in the various directions necessary to form the fully shaped partition member of which a front elevation is shown in Figure 8. The shelf is bent to the left of-midd' partition 3-8,uppcr vertical partition 31. bent upwards from shelf upper closure wall36 is bent inwardly from upper vertical parti ion: 31 and welded along its bottom partition member 28 with the flanges properly bent is secured to body of locker by spot 'welding, or otherwise securing back flanges 38-, 39, and 40 to back: 45, top flange ll to horizontal partition l6,bottom flanges 413 and 4 1-. to bottomv of locker at, front flange 4E2 to, bar l8. This bar 48 should be preferably the same thickness as frame %9 to which it is secured by welding or otherwise. Ends of closure walls 36 and 3. in contact with back of bar 4:8 and top end of closure wall 36 in contact with back' of frame 49 are secured to same by spot weld-- ing or otherwise.

From the foregoing description it will be evident thata recess 50 is formed back from vertical partition 33 enclosed by shelf 32, upper vertical partition 31, closurewall 36, part of back wall 45, and part of horizontal partition 46, which recess is accessible only from compartment 30 when-6.001 54; is open,

and is really part of compartment 30. A.

similar recess 51 is accessible from and forms part of compartinents29. I

My invention is applicable not only to the type of locker illustrated in Figures 1, 2, S and lwhi'ch is substantially-a single locker unit converted into a double one, but also to locker structures consisting substantially of aplurality of oblong rectangular compartments each of which can be converted into two locker compartments. in a structureof this kind. it would be desirable to swing all doors in onev direction thereby using bar 18.011 partition member 5 as a stile to hinge doors 25 to, as well as axstrilze for. doors.

This structureis built preferably of sheet metal comprising a body with back 55, base 56, horizontal partition 57, top 58, all vertical partitions 59, partition members 60, garment hooks 61 and hat hooks 62. All parts of this structure are preferably connected with each other by flanges and may be secured to one another by spot welding or otherwise. Partition member 60, would be made substantially like partition member 5 shown in Figures 6 and 7 except that closure walls 11 and 12 and flanges 16 and 17 would be omitted, and other parts proportioned and shaped to fit the cabinet structure referred to.

It is manifest from the illustrations and the foregoing description that these cabinet compartments may be made narrow and yet provide ample space for garments and hat because of the novel arrangement. A cabinet of this type would be useful in some schools and other places where locker equipment is not needed. It would provide an inexpensive compact structure to replace the usual wall hooks and shelf in use in many places.

The step and hand hold device illustrated in Figures 3, a, and 5 is a preferred embodiment of this invention and consists of a rod of metal bent so that the step and hand-hold part 63 is slightly above the horizontal partition 34 extending upward at a right angle and secured to vertical partition 38, and bent downward at a right angle to the bottom l? of the locker, at which point it is bent outwardly at a right angle and secured to bottom d7 or to horizontal partition 46. This step andhand hold member 63 also functions as a brace for partition 33 and thus serves to stiffen the locker structure. An opening 64 in doors is required for insertion of foot in lower locker and hand in upper locker. This opening 6% may have a curved cover 65 at the back of opening and above rod 63, said cover being spot welded or secured otherwise to door. It is understood that step and hand-hold part may be int al with horizontal partition 3-1 or may c be secured in place below said horizontal partition at a suitable distance instead of above it. It may also be a device fastened only to horizontal partition 34 instead of to vertical partition 33 and bottom 47.

A modification of step and hand-holddevice is shown in Figures 11 and 12 in which a metal. rod 66 is run horizontally along the front of cabinet and held in place by brackets 6'7, end of rod may have knobs G8 or other means to prevent it from sliding out of brackets 67.

Having described my invention what I claim is:

1. A double locker unit comprising back, side and top and bottom walls, doors each covering one lateral half of the front of said unit, a partition between the lateral halves of said unit consisting of a vertical web extending from front to back of the unit and terminating in spaced relation to the top and bottom walls of the unit, and a compartment in each unit closed at its front and opening into the other unit, the bottom of one compartment extending from the top of the. partition, and the top of the other compartment extending from the bottom of the partition.

2. A double locker unit comprising back, side and top and bottom walls, doors each covering one lateral half of the front of said unit, a partition between tlelate halves of said unit consisting of a vertical web extending from front to back of the unit and terminating in spaced relation to the. top and bottom walls of the unit, and a compartment in each unit closed at its front and opening into the other unit, the bottom of one compartment extending from the top of the partition, and the top of the other compartment extending from the bottom of the partition, said compartment top and bottom extending entirely across the unit wherein the compartment is located.

A locker, comprising a body having doors, a partition dividing the body into two compartments, said partition being spaced from the top and from the bottom of the body, means associated with the partition at the ends thereof for forming recesses, and one recess extending into one compartment and the other recess extending into the other compartment, and a brace extending from one end of one compartment and en gagin said partition, said brace forming a step or hand hold, and one of said doors having an opening therein to expose a portion of said brace when the door is closed.

i. A locker, comprising a body having doors a partition dividing the body into two compartments, an L-shaped brace extending from one end of one compartment and engaging said partition, said brace forming or hand hold. and one of said doors having an opening therein to expose a portion of said brace when the door is closed.

5. A locker, comprising a body, a partition dividing the body into two compartments, a brace formed in one of said compartments and engaging said partition said brace having a horizontal portion serving as a step or hand hold.

6. A locker, comprising a body having doors, a partition dividing the body into two compartments, a brace formed in one of said compartments and engaging said partition, said brace having a hand or foot engaging portion, and one of said doors having an opening therein to permit access to said foot or hand engaging portion when the door is closed.

EDWARD FOOSE. 

